DIY aux input. How to output AUX output on any radio with your own hands? . What is an AUX output on a radio?

Most modern car radios are equipped with an AUX output, which allows you to connect a smartphone to it and listen to audio files from your mobile device through the car radio's speakers. In cases where there is no AUX output on the radio, the car owner can equip it himself.

What is an AUX output and why is it needed?

AUX output is an input for an audio source. In Russia it is often called a linear output, foreign manufacturers label it with the inscription AUX-OUT, and on some devices you can also find the outdated designation CD-OUT. The AUX output belongs to RCA jack standards, so you can connect tulip-type plugs to it.

AUX output is a connector through which you can transmit an audio signal to an external sound amplifier built into the radio. When connected external device, which can be an MP3 player, tablet or smartphone, sound reproduction occurs through the speakers of the radio.

Almost all modern electronic devices, which reproduce sound, along with a USB port, are also equipped with an AUX output. These include computers, televisions, stereos, etc. Car radios are no exception, but old cassette or CD radios usually do not have such a connector. This does not mean that the owner of a car with such a radio will not be able to connect an MP3 player or his smartphone to it and enjoy music, audiobooks or other sound files.

Required materials and tools

To connect the AUX output to the radio, you will need a wire and a plug. You can buy them at a radio store, but the easiest way is to borrow a wire with a plug already connected from old headphones. The wire should not be damaged, so in addition to a visual inspection, it would not be superfluous to check it with a multimeter.

In addition to a wire with a plug and a multimeter to equip the radio with an AUX output, you will also need:

flat and Phillips screwdrivers;
low-power soldering iron with a soldering kit (solders, flux and magnifying glass);
insulating tape and heat shrink tube;
a set of standard keys for removing the radio;
if necessary, a set of heads for small screwdrivers (if the radio is secured with screws).

Preparation

Before equipping the radio with an AUX output, you must remove it from the front panel of the car. Standard radios installed by the manufacturer are usually attached to brackets using self-tapping screws or self-tapping screws. The radio can also be secured using latches or side clamps.

Dismantling the radio is carried out in the following sequence.

First you need to remove the plastic decorative plate around the perimeter of the radio. It is attached using latches; to remove the plate, you can pry it off with a flat screwdriver or knife and carefully remove it.
After removing the cover, you need to remove the radio from the bracket mounts. It is best to use a set of standard keys for squeezing the latches for this. The keys need to be inserted into the slots and used to bend the latches. After the latches are released, you need to hold the radio by the protruding parts and remove it from the niche.
If the radio is fixed in the panel niche using screws or self-tapping screws, then you will need a screwdriver for dismantling. It is advisable to use a magnetic screwdriver so that unscrewed screws or screws do not get lost.
After the radio is removed, you need to disconnect its motherboard from the player. To do this, you need to press out the plastic latches using a screwdriver and unscrew the bolts securing the front panel of the radio to the side walls. Then you need to remove the back and side covers of the device, disconnect the cables and put away the player.

AUX connection instructions

After the motherboard of the radio is dismantled, you can begin equipping it with an AUX output. At this stage, the car owner will need a soldering iron, a soldering kit and a little knowledge of radio electronics.

On motherboard you need to find the points marked RCH (right channel) and LCH (left channel). These points are stereo output channels from the player to the board.
You need to solder the wires from the headphones to the channel points, after first removing the insulation from them using a knife. The green one should be soldered to the left channel, the red one to the right. The common wire must be grounded by soldering to the board body (or to the GND point). Since the wires are thin, you will need a low-power soldering iron with a thin tip, as well as a soldering loupe.
Soldered wires must be additionally insulated with heat shrink tubing.
Then you need to bring the soldered wires out of the radio body to the front panel of the car. To do this, you can drill a hole in the side wall of the radio. The wire outlet with the plug already connected can be installed in the ashtray.
After this, you need to reassemble the radio in reverse order.

After equipping the radio with an AUX output, you need to check its functionality. You should first turn on the radio to check that the speakers are working properly, then you should check the cassette or CD player.

Then you should connect an MP3 player or smartphone through the AUX output and select any song. On the radio you need to select the “Cassette” or “CD” playback mode. When connecting an AUX output, the signal from the player must be muted by a signal from an external device.

Equipping the radio with an AUX output is not the only way to connect a smartphone or player to the car radio. As an alternative, you can use an AUX-Bluetooth adapter. Its advantages are the absence of wires in the cabin and expanded capabilities for controlling the radio using voice control or buttons on the device itself. The downside is the cost of the adapter and the need to recharge it.

Many modern, and not so modern, sound-reproducing devices, such as radio tape recorders, stereo systems, CD/MP3 players, have a feed connector external signal AUX IN . On ancient cassette tape recorders it is called CD IN .

Why is this connector needed and how can it be used in the practice of a novice radio amateur and in the everyday life of an ordinary user?

It is worth noting that the scope of this “miracle” is quite large. For example, you have an MP3 player and you want to listen to music from it, but not through headphones, but through powerful speakers. To do this, you will need some kind of musical device, for example a stereo system or cassette recorder. The main thing is that it has a connector for connecting an external signal AUX IN or CD IN .

Connecting devices to the AUX IN jack

An adapter is required for connection 3.5 mm jack(a plug for regular headphones) and a pair of “tulip” type plugs, a four-core speaker wire with an external copper braid. You can use the plug and wire from faulty headphones, the main thing is that the wire is in good condition. To do this, you need to “ring” the wire with a multimeter.

The plug has a contact part closest to the plastic base - the common wire. If we remove the insulation from the ends of the wires, we will see that the common wire in both wire strands has the same color. The right and left channel wires have different colors ( red And green), they must be soldered directly to the middle pin of the “tulip” connector. As a result, it should turn out that the contact of the common wire of the plug will be connected to the metal bases of the “tulip” connectors, and the two remaining contacts 3.5 mm jack– to the corresponding central pins of the “tulip” connectors.

You should get an adapter like this.

If you are too lazy to solder yourself, you can purchase a ready-made adapter, as in the photo. But connecting such an adapter to miniature MP3 players is not always convenient.

All music centers have a connector AUX IN on the back, less often the front panel.

This is a connector for supplying external sound signal. You can connect any device to it via an adapter, for example an iPod Touch media player.

After connecting the player via an adapter, you need to turn on the AUX IN mode of the device through which you want to listen to music. For digital devices, this is usually done through the menu, but for ancient devices, such as cassette recorders, you need to select a mode using a switch (mode CD IN).

Before playing music from the player, you should turn down the volume on the music center or on the device you are using. This simple rule will help if the input signal is powerful enough and the device amplifier does not “scream” at full blast.

Thus, you can connect any devices - MP3 players, laptops and netbooks, DVD players, cassette players, TVs... to any device that includes an amplifier audio frequency – music centers, portable cassette and CD/MP3 players, cassette car radios (many have a connector AUX IN).

Also, a bundle of MP3 players - a portable cassette tape recorder will give new life cassette player, they are rarely used in the era of digital music.

Since the site is aimed at beginner radio amateurs, there are a lot of explanations and photographs. Know and apply!

As a result of the fact that mobile devices have become an integral part of the lives of many car enthusiasts, users on the Internet are often interested in what an AUX output is and how to make it. This article will focus on this issue. How to connect the AUX cable for a car radio, how to make the corresponding output and what is required for this - find out below.

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What is an AUX output on a radio?

So, what is AUX, how to make it and connect it? First, let's understand the concept. AUX is an input designed to connect an audio source. This can be a regular MP3 player, mobile phone, tablet connected via an appropriate cable. In fact, when the player is connected, the driver will be able to listen to audio recordings through the car radio, as if through an amplifier.

In this case, on line input a pulse will be received with an amplitude that is within the parameters from 0.5 to 1 volt. Any audio playback device that is equipped with an appropriate output can produce a similar impulse. As for the output specifically, it is usually marked as AUX OUT or CD OUT (which is much less common).

Today, many car enthusiasts use special tuners that allow them to listen to music through a flash drive. At the same time, these people claim that a tuner connected via the cigarette lighter is an excellent alternative to connecting the player via AUX. We want to say right away that the quality of playback of audio files is fundamentally different - connect it yourself and you will understand it. At correct connection The AUX output will provide much more high quality sound than usual Chinese tuner.

Manufacturing Guide

We’ve figured out what AUX is, now let’s move on to the issue of manufacturing the device. To make AUX into a standard radio, you will need to perform certain steps, having prepared all the necessary materials in advance. In principle, the procedure for connecting this output is not particularly complicated, but in order to carry out all the steps correctly, you must follow certain nuances, which you will learn about later. If you have any doubts about whether you will do everything correctly, we recommend that you seek help from a qualified electrician.

Tools and materials

So, if you want to always be able to connect an MP3 player via cable through your car radio, you will need to equip the appropriate input. To perform all the steps correctly, prepare the necessary input plug and cable in advance. In principle, all this can be taken from old headphones; in this case, it is very important that their input cable is intact. You can make sure that the input cable is intact by “ringing” it, using a multimeter for this.

Regarding the input plug, there are certain points to consider. For example, the usual standard plug from any audio headphones is conditionally divided into several parts. The widest part of the plug, located at the plastic base, belongs to the common cable. This cable is painted in a common color, and the conductors of the two channels - left and right - are marked in green and red. This means that the two parts that remain relate specifically to the playback channels.

In principle, there is nothing complicated to build an AUX input with your own hands. You only need to prepare a certain set of devices:

the headphone plug itself with the cable;
soldering iron with consumables;
multimeter

Stages

So when everything necessary tools and the materials will be collected, you can begin making the entrance intended for.

To do everything correctly and so that you can easily connect any mobile device, including a player, via a cable to the car radio, follow these steps:

First, remove all media from your car radio. Once everything is removed, you will need to remove the audio system. To do this, you will need to remove the decorative plastic trim, which is usually secured with several plastic clips. As a rule, car enthusiasts do not have problems at this step. But if your car radio is obsolete (or rather, “ancient”), there is a chance that you will also need to unscrew a few bolts. One way or another, this stage usually does not cause difficulties, so be guided by the situation.
After the car radio is removed, you will need to unscrew several screws located on the ventilation panel. This panel will subsequently need to be lifted up a little - this action will allow you to get rid of interference in the future.
We can say that the preparatory stage of producing the input for connecting the player to the radio via a cable has been completed. Now you need to connect all the cables that you took from the old headphones along with the plug to the PCA output, that is, the tulip.
To properly solder all the cables, you must follow a certain order. In particular, the common cable should be soldered to the metal base of the connector. Conductors that are used as channels should be soldered to the middle pins.
After you have soldered all the necessary wires using a soldering iron, you need to test them; for this, as mentioned earlier, a multimeter is used. If there are problems, the procedure must be repeated.
When you are sure that everything is done correctly, the soldered wires along with the plug will need to be brought out. So that they are located in the cabin and a player or other device can be connected to them. In this case, you need to base it on your preferences as well as design features your center console vehicle. After all, you need to make sure that connecting and using a player or mobile gadget via a cable does not cause discomfort or difficulty. As practice shows, the most optimal solution in this case would be to lead the cable into the ashtray, of course, if it is not used for its intended purpose. You need to make sure in advance that the cable through which you will connect mobile gadgets or players is long enough. Otherwise, the connected device will simply hang under the radio, and this, you see, is not very aesthetically pleasing. More detailed instructions how to connect this output is shown in the video below (the author of the video is comPlushki Repairs and Arduino).

Once you have been able to connect the AUX output for your player or phone, you need to check if you did everything correctly. To diagnose the result, first of all, you should reduce the sound level on the head unit, that is, the audio system, as much as possible. This is done because most mobile gadgets, after connecting to the head unit, begin to make noise, producing an unpleasant sound. So, you need to connect a mobile device or player to the AUX output brought into the vehicle interior, after which any audio recording is turned on.

You need to adjust the sound on the head unit in advance. If you were able to connect and solder everything correctly, audio recordings from the player or mobile device will play in the vehicle speakers. If you are not satisfied with the audio quality, try changing the playback settings on your head unit and mobile phone. Sometimes all you need to do is change the equalizer settings to get the best sound.

The above instructions are relevant for those motorists who decided to do everything on their own and know how to hold a soldering iron in their hands. If this is your first time encountering the need for soldering, then it is quite possible that you can achieve desired result you won't succeed. If this option does not suit you, you can simply go to a car audio store, purchase the appropriate adapter and connect it. This option is less labor-intensive than the one described above, but it requires large financial investments.

Owners of cars with standard radios or with car radios equipped with a minimum number of options are trying to expand functionality head audio device.

Most effective way is connecting the phone to the radio. How to do this and which method is better to choose will be discussed in this article.

How to connect a smartphone via AUX input

Connecting a phone via the AUX input of the car radio is the simplest and most in an accessible way connections.

Most modern car radios have a line-level, or AUX, input. The standard signal amplitude value for this input is from 250 mV to 1 Volt. The amplitude of the smartphone output signals to the headphones is more than 1 Volt. Thus, the output signal of the headphones is quite enough to “drive” the car radio amplifier to full power.

In order to make the connection, you need to purchase an audio cable. Modern smartphones, are mainly equipped with a standard Jack headphone output. Android phones have a 4-pin Jack, the thin end of which is used to connect a microphone. It is compatible with a standard 3-pin jack connector, which does not have a microphone input. Most car radios have a 3.5 mm AUX input. The cable length is usually selected from 1.0 to 2.0 meters. A long cable is necessary if the playlist is controlled by a passenger located in the back seat.

The AUX connection has the following advantages:

versatility;
control of the playback sequence from a mobile phone, on which you can create a unique playlist, including from video files;
ease of control on touch screen telephone;
using AUX mode you can organize speakerphone in a car;
Possibility of playback on simple radio tape recorders.

The disadvantages of the connection include:

the need to adjust the output signal levels of the smartphone and the volume of the radio;
during playback via the AUX input, the phone is not recharged via USB (it is not recommended to charge a device connected via the AUX input due to the possibility of its audio amplifier failing);
interruption of music playback during calls and conversations on the phone;
In some car radios, the AUX input is located on the rear panel.

If the amplitude of the output signal from the phone is more than 1 Volt, this can lead to non-linear distortion (usually in the form of sound wheezing) generated by the AUX input stages. When coordinating levels, it is necessary to set the volume level of the mobile device to the minimum position, and the volume of the car radio to the maximum. Then turn on music playback on the phone and increase the volume by mobile device until the maximum sound level is achieved in the car speakers.

When playing through the AUX input, the appropriate mode must be set on the car radio.

Video - activating AUX mode in the SWING Skoda Octavia radio:

Connection via USB input

When connecting a phone via the USB input of the radio, the connection occurs through a digital output-input, and not an analogue one, as in the previous version. To connect you will need a universal cable.

After connecting the corresponding cable contacts to the connectors of the phone and car radio, the message “USB connection” appears on the mobile device; you need to select the “data transfer” mode. The radio is set to USB playback mode.

As a rule, the USB port is located on the front panel of the car radio.

Benefits of playing via USB:

the phone is used only as a storage device, retaining all its functions;
During playback, many devices charge the mobile device;
there is no need to negotiate playback levels.

A disadvantage is the fact that many car radios (mostly manufactured before the 2000s) cannot find audio files in the complex hierarchy of the phone's memory.

New car radios allow you to organize playback control via the USB input in such a way that the playlist sequence will be controlled from a mobile device.

How to connect your phone to the radio via bluetooth

A connection via a Bluetooth connection can be organized if the phone and radio have the corresponding functions. You can check whether the car radio has such a function in the menu.

It is also necessary to check that both devices have the same Bluetooth communication protocols (including A2DP). In modern radio tape recorders, this protocol is usually supported, Smartphones previous years releases may not support streaming.

If the radio does not support Bluetooth, you can purchase a Bluetooth dongle (adapter), in which case the connection is made using such an additional device.

Communication between the radio and the phone via Bluetooth can be organized both from the telephone side and from the car radio side. In this case, both devices must activate Bluetooth. Then you need to search for all Bluetooth devices within communication range. Next, select the appropriate device, give a connection request, and exchange the code.

Video - how to connect your phone to the standard radio in a NISSAN TIIDA, NOTE, QASHQAI car:

Advantages of Bluetooth connection: no cable required, wireless connection.

Disadvantages: difficulty setting up the connection, possibility of interference.

Connection Precautions

When connecting via the AUX input, it is not advisable to charge the phone at the same time; there are cases of failure of the phone amplifier cascades due to faulty wiring and radio.

Do not connect the AUX output of your phone to the car radio when maximum volume on the phone.

When connecting the phone to the car radio via a USB input, it is advisable to make sure that the voltage does not exceed 5 Volts, otherwise the phone’s USB port or charging module may fail.

To do this, you need to check the voltage between pins 1 and 4 of the USB connector. It should be 5 Volts. This can be done using a multimeter.

Modern cars are fully adapted to the modern consumer - from autopilot to digital outputs for connecting a navigator or smartphone. But what can be done from a radio if there is no linear output - an AUX connector? The answer is simple - do it yourself.

What is AUX output for?

An AUX output is needed to connect a smartphone or tablet to the system so that you can listen to music through the car speakers. The input receives a signal with an amplitude of 0.5 - 1 V, which, under the influence of an amplifier, is transmitted to the speakers speaker system and starts to sound louder.

Many car owners still don’t know what aux in a radio is or whether they have it at all. This thing is very convenient, since you can use it not only to listen to music. Some cars are equipped with such systems, by connecting your phone to which you can calmly talk with your interlocutor without using your hands. It is very convenient, and most importantly – safe!

What you need to upgrade your radio

Before you make an AUX output on the radio, you need to purchase everything you need, namely wire and plug. If you have old headphones, you can use those too. The most important thing is that there should be no damage to the wire. You can check the integrity by “ringing” a multimeter.

The plug of any headphones has stripes that divide it into 3 parts. The part that is located at the base is the widest and belongs to the common wire, which differs from the channel conductors (the left channel has a green conductor, the right one has a red one). The remaining two parts of the plug belong to these same channels. You will also need a soldering iron, solders, a multimeter and several hours of free time.

Did you know? The French company Parrot invented the first car radio based on Android OS - Asteroid. This is a car radio only in its format. The device can be considered a portable computer with a three-inch screen, with which you can play games or track your route by opening the navigator. Also on this device you can open a directory of gas stations, you can track the location of speed cameras and much more.

How to solder AUX to radio

Having received all the parts and tools, you can proceed to soldering. The installation process is discussed using the example of Toyota Avensis.

Removing the radio and disassembling it

Before you remove the aux on the radio, it needs to be removed and disassembled. The sequence of actions is as follows:

This completes the dismantling.

Important! You need to disassemble the device on a clean work surface, and not on your knees. Otherwise, dust and dirt may get inside, as a result of which the radio may stop working.

The breakdown is like this:

This completes the dismantling and disassembly process.

Board diagnostics

When you disassemble the radio, you will get full access to the board. It needs to be examined carefully. Check the print path for signs of charring. If there are traces, then you also need to check the fuses. Restoring a printed track is a process of medium complexity; there is a lot of information about it on the Internet.

Important! Be sure to check the plan for serviceability. Especially if you have been using the radio for a long time. You can carry out diagnostics using a computer, but it is better to entrust this matter to professionals.

Soldering process

How to solder aux to the radio? Yes Easy! After disassembling the radio, you need to find two points on its board marked RCH and LCH. These points are the stereo output channels from the player on head device. Then proceed like this:

If you are thinking about how to make aux on a cassette player, then everything is just as simple, but the soldering process is a little different. On the front of the cassette player there is a volume control, which has 3 outputs arranged in a row. To the extreme ones you need to solder a wire 20-25 cm long. Also, ideally, there will be a shielded wire that will not cause interference, but you can also take a regular stranded wire (diameter 0.2 - 0.8 mm).

After soldering, the radio needs to be assembled. In the case of a cassette device, the wires simply need to be brought out. Or you can make a hole in the side wall that will not be blocked by the bracket and from which the wires will come out. In principle, you can make several holes in the bracket, which then need to be secured with ties. Then find the 3-pin audio jack.

After connecting, you need to secure the socket in a convenient place. After installation, it’s tedious to check the operation of the device - turn on the radio and check if all the speakers are working. To play music from a phone or tablet, you need to turn on the CD to activate the player channels, then connect the tablet or smartphone. The player's signal will be muted by the system, and the signal from the external device will be output.

Is it possible to connect a flash drive via AUX

It is impossible to connect a flash drive directly via AUX. There are many different adapters on sale with which you can listen to music from this digital media.

Did you know? If you have a tablet Google Nexus 7, then you can make it in your car yourself and on-board computer, and a car radio. There is a video on the Internet of installing this tablet in Dodge RAM. With the help of such a tablet, you can play music, navigate using a navigator, and even connect to the Internet, but only if you have a smartphone to distribute. If you turn on the Bluetooth adapter, the tablet will act as an on-board computer.

Enjoy the benefits of modern electronics. You don't have to give up these little privileges.